Memphis

Neighborhood Collaborative for Resilience

1.3 million Regional population

43% Children below poverty line

58% Average Housing + Transportation Costs as % of Income

Catalytic Moment

The Memphis region is poised for change due to recent public and private investments and new city leadership. Many of these projects are occurring in and around North Memphis, a former industrial area now populated by vacant lots and a population that is majority low-income individuals with only a high school diploma. Key investments in the region include:

Improvements along the periphery of North Memphis that will restore floodplains and reduce the threat of future flooding

Implementation of segments of the Greenprint, a $2.6 million federally funded plan to connect green spaces like parks, walking paths, community gardens, wildlife areas, and trails

The planned 2017 opening of Crosstown Concourse, a $200 million redevelopment project that will be home to a health center, market rate and affordable housing, an alternative high school, as well as other community resources

Commencement of the first city-wide comprehensive planning effort in nearly 40 years

Regional Partnership

In partnership with SPARCC, Memphis Partners envisions a region where all residents benefit from new investments and have access to economic, social, and natural resources. Through SPARCC, Memphis Partners seeks to:

Institutionalize policy and practices that incorporate diverse racial, economic, and cultural perspectives into community planning through the establishment of an equity assessment toolkit and regional equity council

Address gaps in the greenway trail connectivity and connect with the public transportation system

Improve the climate resilience of neighborhoods and the region through targeted home weatherization, repair, and improvement efforts

In Their Words

Context

Memphis is located at the nexus of three Southern states and influenced by the policies, economies, and cultures of all three. In the 20th century, the city expanded rapidly, and suburban developments stretched far and wide. This legacy of sprawl has not only resulted in stagnant growth within the city’s footprint, but also racial inequities, challenges of climate change, inadequate transit services, and poor health outcomes for many.

Twenty-six percent of Memphis residents, including 43 percent of Memphis children, live in poverty. Compared to the 35 largest metropolitan areas in the country, the Memphis region consistently ranks one of the highest in rates of economic segregation, families in poverty, obesity, and high blood pressure. Additionally, due to sprawl and a disconnected public transit system, Memphis residents average spending 27 percent of their annual income on transportation.

Newsletter

SPARCC is investing in and amplifying local efforts underway in six regions to ensure that new investments reduce racial disparities, build a culture of health, and prepare for a changing climate. The initiative’s long-term goal is to change the way metropolitan regions grow, invest, and build through integrated, cross-sector approaches that benefit low-income people and communities of color.